From this Saturday, 15 October, visitors to the Zoo can try their luck at an escape room in the Invertebrates Area

Also from this weekend onwards, Zoo Club members can enjoy the new Nature Passport activity ‘Primates and Humans: First Cousins’

To coincide with the arrival of autumn, Barcelona Zoo is introducing new activities for all the family. From this Saturday, 15 October, the Zoo’s most daring visitors can try their luck at an escape room in the Invertebrates Area. This free activity, which requires advance booking on the Barcelona Zoo website, is suitable for the whole family and will be available until 27 November.

Participants will enter the Escape Room in the new Invertebrates Area in groups. They will be accompanied by a Barcelona Zoo educator and, once inside, they will have to answer a series of invertebrate-related questions to be able to leave again. Specifically, the activity highlights the vital role of invertebrates like spiders, beetles, worms, and bumblebees in keeping ecosystems balanced, and breaks down the apprehension and phobias often associated with these species. 

Also starting this Saturday, all 80,000 members of the Zoo Club can enjoy a new, free activity as part of the Nature Passport: a programme launched in the summer through which the Zoo aims to raise awareness among its members of the importance of conserving biodiversity and highlight all of its preservation initiatives.  

As part of the new activity, entitled ‘Primates and Humans: First Cousins’, participants will get to learn about primates’ behaviour and study them like real primatologists. The activity lasts between 30 and 45 minutes, and must be booked in advance through the Zoo Club user area on the Barcelona Zoo website. Just like the first activity, participants will receive a new stamp in their Nature Passport when they complete this one. 

The Olympic Port’s transformation, already underway, is the focus of its presence at the event 

Following the official opening of the Show, attended by King Felipe VI, First Deputy Mayor and Chair of B:SM Jaume Collboni, and Councillor for Sport David Escudé, the Olympic Port resumes its planned activities 

The blue economy model promoted by the Olympic Port will be presented on Friday, while on Saturday, the stand will welcome a group of yachtspeople to explain the youth and women’s regattas that will take place during the America’s Cup

The Boat Show was officially opened this morning by King Felipe VI. The King visited the Olympic Port stand, which will serve to inform the public of its transformation. He was accompanied by the First Deputy Mayor and Chair of B:SM, Jaume Collboni, and the Councillor for Sport, David Escudé, among other officials. 

The Olympic Port has organised a series of talks and roundtables between now and Sunday to present the transformation it is undergoing: a process led by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM) on behalf of Barcelona City Council. This is the Port’s first appearance at the Show since Barcelona City Council took over running it.

Following yesterday’s activities, which focused on the Olympic Port’s firm commitment to sustainability, tomorrow (Friday) at 11.30 am, the stand will host a presentation of the blue economy model being driven by the Port and explain how this fits in with the city’s commitment to promote this economic sector. The presentation will be headed by Olga Cerezo, Director of the Olympic Port, and Anna Majó, Director of Business Innovation Projects at Barcelona Activa, the local development agency which is behind the strategy to promote this sector. Representatives of some of the businesses currently working in this area of activity will also be taking part. 

Later on, in the afternoon, the Barcelona Institute of Sports will talk about the project to refurbish the Municipal Sailing Centre currently being developed and its strategy to encourage the public to take up water sports.   

The day after, Saturday 15 October, at 12 noon, it will be time to explain the role that the Olympic Port will play during the 37th edition of the America’s Cup as the base for the youth and women’s regattas. The organisers of this prestigious event and representatives of the Barcelona Capital Nàutica Foundation will be in attendance. The act will end with a conversation between Guillermo, head of SailTeam BCN, created specially for the America’s Cup in Barcelona, and Olympic yachtswoman Natalia Via-Dufrense. Together, they will analyse the need to promote new sailing talent and the challenges faced by women in this sport at competition level. 

On Saturday afternoon, numerous companies from the nautical sector that operate at the Olympic Port will also be present at the Port’s stand, and until Sunday, visitors will be able to see first-hand how the transformation of this iconic Barcelona landmark is progressing.  

Finally, at 12 noon on Sunday, there will be a presentation of the 20th Ophiusa Regatta, an event that brings together the Catalan coast and the island of Formentera and which will be starting from the Olympic Port for the second year running. 

The bioregeneration reefs will be located between the Dic de Recer breakwater and the submerged breakwaters next to it, and they will help sea fans, groupers, sponges, octopuses, and other marine species to thrive

The project will be carried out in early 2023 and will take 7 months

This measure is part of the process to transform the Olympic Port, partly in order to boost marine biodiversity in the area, a task being tackled in collaboration with Barcelona Zoo  

The Olympic Port is taking another step towards renaturalising the Barcelona coast by installing 100 biotopes in the form of bioregeneration reefs that will create underwater habitats and increase the area’s biodiversity. This measure was announced this morning, coinciding with the opening of the stand that the Olympic Port will have until next Sunday at the Barcelona International Boat Show. 

The reef initiative comes after 2,000 concrete blocks were installed in the summer of 2021 to line the Dic de Recer breakwater and protect the Olympic Port from the effects of storms. Of these, 300 were naturalised to encourage biological diversity in our sea. 

These two actions are part of the Olympic Port transformation being carried out by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM) and commissioned by Barcelona City Council. One of the goals of the process is to boost biodiversity in the area, in collaboration with Barcelona Zoo.

According to First Deputy Mayor and Chair of B:SM Jaume Collboni, this new phase of the project demonstrates the Olympic Port’s solid commitment to marine ecosystem preservation. ‘A little over a year ago, we made the most of reinforcing the port infrastructure to start a project that would help to improve the seabed off our coast. This project is another step towards the Olympic Port we want: a lively, dynamic space committed to sea-related economic activity that also raises city residents’ awareness of the need to preserve the marine environment’. 

The biotopes, approximately 1 m high and 2 m wide, will be installed underwater between the Dic de Recer breakwater and the submerged breakwaters just in front of it. A total of 100 breakwaters will be spread out in 6 groups to form a large bioregeneration reef with more than 1,300 m2 of surface area. These structures, made from prefabricated concrete pieces, will be attached to the seabed through an anchoring system, with the help of a team of divers.

The process to install this large bioregeneration reef will begin in early 2023 and will take 7 months to complete. It is designed to be full of cavities where marine species like sea fans, groupers, congers, morays, sponges, octopuses, and spiny lobsters can thrive. The project will cost €98,000.  

The Youth America's Cup begins on 19 September 2024, while the Women’s America's Cup starts on 3 October

For the first time ever, this international sporting event will feature a women's competition 

The transformation of the Olympic Port, promoted by Barcelona City Council through B:SM, will make it one of the best places for city residents to watch the regattas

The Olympic Port will be at the epicentre of the women's and youth competitions in the 37th edition of the America's Cup, which is being held in Barcelona in 2024. America’s Cup Event Limited (ACE), which is organising this major event, today confirmed the starting dates for these two competitions: the Youth America's Cup begins on 19 September, while the Women’s America's Cup, which is being held for the first time ever, starts on 3 October. 

The Olympic Port will be the base for the teams taking part in these two events. In both cases, the teams will train for a week prior to the competition and then begin a series of elimination heats until they get to a final of six regattas. The two best teams from those regattas will then compete for their respective trophies. The final of the Youth America's Cup will take place on 2 October, while the final of the Women's America's Cup is scheduled for 16 October.  

Jaume Collboni, the First Deputy Mayor and president of B:SM, expressed his satisfaction at the recent announcement. “The America's Cup is a new opportunity for Barcelona to show the world that it is capable of organising sporting events of international importance. Furthermore, using the Olympic Port as the venue for these two pioneering, innovative competitions gives content and coherence to the city's project, aimed at making the port a place for marine educational activities and for doing nautical sports at both an amateur and elite level.” 

The Olympic Port, a privileged location for enjoying the America's Cup

The privileged location of the Olympic Port, near Barcelona's beaches and the city centre, and the transformation process under way there, make it a privileged viewpoint for enjoying the ins and outs of the America's Cup sailing competitions. 

The Olympic Port has already been modernised and many of its maritime and port installations have been adapted to meet the operational needs of this major event. The work is now centred on defining the spaces the teams will occupy. 

Along with the generation of new public spaces for walking and doing sport, the Dic de Recer breakwater is also being transformed into an extensive walkway-viewpoint. From there, spectators can watch the vessels leaving the Olympic Port and the other regattas taking place off Barcelona's coastline. The urban development work, which also includes the renovation of the lower level, began this September and is scheduled to last fifteen months, with an investment of €4.8 million. 

Furthermore, at the beginning of 2023, work will begin on the configuration of the Port Olympic's Balcó Gastronòmic, an innovative restaurant space located on the Moll de Gregal quay, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2024, coinciding with the start of the competitions. 

Construction work is currently under way on a new entrance to the port, connecting the Olympic Port with Avinguda del Litoral, along with work to configure the city's first blue economy centre, centred on the Moll de Mestral quay and the Dic de Recer breakwater, where companies and entrepreneurs working in this activity sector will be located. 

About ACE

ACE (America’s Cup Event) Barcelona S.L. has been created by Defender and Rightsholder, Emirates Team New Zealand to organise the 37th America’s Cup, with the aim of planning, coordinating and overseeing the event. 

Between the months of October and December, nearly 40 concerts are due to be held in Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club, attracting 235,000 people, three times more than last year and approaching the figures for 2019

Before the end of the year the Olympic Ring will host concerts by Joan Manel Serrat, Antonia Font, Rigoberta Bandini, Sopa de Cabra and the Back Street Boys, among many others

So far this year, 420,000 people have enjoyed the 42 concerts held in the Olympic Ring, nearly six times more than in the same period last year    

A strong autumn calendar is coming to Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club. From now until the end of the year, the two venues will be hosting a total of 39 concerts. This means that nearly 250,000 people will be enjoying live music on stage at the Olympic Ring, a figure that is three times higher than the numbers recorded last autumn and practically the same as the figures for 2019, prior to the pandemic, when the two venues attracted 243,000 people.   

So far this year, Palau Sant Jordi and the Sant Jordi Club have already hosted 42 concerts, attracting a total of 420,000 people, nearly six times more than during the same period last year, even though they were still affected by restrictions. In this case, the recorded audience figures are 12% higher than in 2019, when the January to September period attracted a total of 375,000 people. 

With the pandemic now over, the return of audiences and the confirmation of new star tours and concerts have once again made the Olympic Ring a strategic area for concerts. This is true at both a local and international level, confirming that Barcelona is one of the leading Southern European venues on the international tour circuit. 

According to Jaume Collboni, the First Deputy Mayor and president of B:SM, “these figures confirm that thirty years after the Barcelona ‘92 Games, the Olympic Ring is still very much alive, positioning the city internationally as a venue for major events. Increasing numbers of music promoters are choosing the city's Olympic Ring venues as stops for the best international tours. This shows that the facilities are in a good state of health, that they are closely linked to the city's cultural dynamics and are attractive at an international level, helping to make Barcelona a top-class cultural destination".   

Serrat, Rigoberta Bandini and The Cure, among the top names performing at the Ring 

The first of this autumn's concerts featured Malú, who played at the Palau Sant Jordi last Friday, as part of her Mil Batallas Tour 2022; and Melendi, who presented her latest album, Likes y Cicatrices, on Saturday. 

In coming weeks, the Olympic Ring will be hosting Antònia Font, returning to the stage after a decade of silence. The band from Majorca will be presenting their latest album Un Minut Estroboscòpia, at Palau Sant Jordi, on 15 October. This is their first concert at the Ring. Another big name is the rapper Ayax, who after selling out his concert at the Sant Jordi Club on 21 October, has now announced a second concert for the following day. 

The Catalan singer Rigoberta Bandini is playing at Palau Sant Jordi on 24 November, in one of the last concerts on her Rigotour, before she takes a break from performing live. Another band bidding farewell is Arnau Griso, who are going their separate ways after their current farewell tour, which will be coming to the Sant Jordi Club on 25 November. The following day, 26 November, it is the turn of Sopa de Cabra, who will be closing their tour celebrating the 30th anniversary of Ben Endins, the best-selling Catalan pop-rock album of all time, at Palau Sant Jordi. And a few days later, on 3 December, Dani Martin will be performing.   

Another major event of the autumn is the triple concert by Joan Manel Serrat at Palau Sant Jordi, as part of his farewell tour, El Vicio de Cantar 1965-2022. Three consecutive concerts, on 20, 22 and 23 December, in which Serrat will be bringing 50 years of stage performances to a close.  

At an international level, the American band the Backstreet Boys are bringing their DNA World Tour to Palau Sant Jordi on 6 October. The Scottish band Franz Ferdinand is also playing, in this case at the Sant Jordi Club, on 25 October, while the American folk group Bon Iver is performing on 7 November, at Palau Sant Jordi. 

Other big names on the programme include the British group The Cure, presenting their Tour Euro 22 at Palau Sant Jordi on 10 November; the rapper Lil Nas X, on 24 November at the Sant Jordi Club; and the queens of K-Pop, Blackpink, who are playing at Palau Sant Jordi on 5 December. 

The Olympic Port is taking part in the show with its own stand, to explain the progress being made in the transformation process, its commitment to the blue economy and its role in the coming edition of the America's Cup 

A round table has been planned for the entire five-day show, featuring representatives from the America's Cup,  junior and women yacht enthusiasts and presentations by enterprises in the blue-economy sector, among other activities

This will be the first time that the Olympic Port is taking part in the show since its management was taken over by Barcelona City Council, through Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM)

The Olympic Port is taking part in the 60th edition of the Barcelona International Boat Show, which is being held at the Port Vell from 12 to 16 October. And it will be doing that with its own 150 m2 stand, put up in the Moll de la Fusta wharf. The space will feature talks, round table discussions and other activities for presenting the transformation the Port has been undergoing, led by Barcelona de Serveis Municipals (B:SM) on behalf of Barcelona City Council. This will be the first time that the Olympic Port is taking part in the show since its management was taken over by Barcelona City Council. 

The transformation process is making steady progress as it looks ahead to the 37th edition of the America’s Cup, which is to be held in Barcelona in 2024, and its aim is to turn the Olympic Port into a space committed to citizens where the blue economy, sailing, food and the sea will become the nerve centre of economic and social activities. 

According to the First Deputy Mayor and Chair of B:SM, Jaume Collboni, “the Boat Show offers a strategic opportunity to explain to the sector the commitment being made by the city to turn the Olympic Port into one of the main showcases of the blue sector, a priority activity in the city’s new economic agenda. We also want the Olympic Port to become a benchmark among city residents for taking up water sports, which is why during the Show we explained the role this space will have in the strategy for revitalising marine sports and during the America’s Cup, a milestone that will serve to enable Barcelona’s residents to re-connect with our coastal area and further see the contribution it can make to social, economic and recreational revitalisation”. 

To mark the opening of the Boat Show, on Wednesday 12 October, the Olympic Port’s stand will be playing host to a round table on the cross-cutting role of sustainability in this new stage the Port is going through. The various experiences and measures that the Olympic Port has applied or will continue to apply for reducing its environmental impact and becoming a benchmark in environmental management will be shared during the show. 

The blue economy will be the programme's star attraction on the morning of Friday, 14 October. A presentation will be given, in collaboration with Barcelona Activa, on the blue-economy model promoted by the Port and on how it fits in with the city’s plan to boost this sector. Representatives of some of the enterprises currently working in this area of activity will also be taking part here. Later, in the afternoon, it will be the turn of the Barcelona Municipal Sailing Centre, who will be explaining their remodelling project, and talking about their strategy for boosting the practice of nautical sports.  

The following day, Saturday, 15 October, will see a visit to the Olympic Port's stand by some of the key figures involved in the 37th edition of the America's Cup. There’ll be a discussion on the aims of the Youth America's Cup and the Women's America's Cup, the America's Cup competitions for young people and women scheduled for the 37th edition, which will be based at the Olympic Port. The event will feature an analysis, with the help of various women athletes, of the need to promote new sailing talent and the challenges faced by women at competition level. 

Over the five days of the Boat Show, numerous companies from the nautical sector that operate at the Olympic Port will also be present at the Port's stand, and visitors will be able to see first-hand how the transformation of this iconic Barcelona landmark is progressing.  

To mark the arrival of autumn, Tibidabo Amusement Park is reviving its La nit de les ànimes [Halloween Night], a horror show for all audiences

The artists from Krüeger Hotel will be breathing new life into the ventriloquist Mary Shaw and her puppet Billy for the Halloween season

In addition, as a new feature, the pastry-maker Christian Escribà will be sweetening up this terrifying event with a cake baked exclusively for the occasion 

Tibidabo Amusement Park is opening the Halloween season with a combination of horror and sweets. As of 1 October, the Park will be resuming La nit de les ànimes, a horror show which is to be performed live, for the second year running, by a cast of 15 actors from the infamous Krüeger Hotel, a production from the company Produccions Artístiques a la Carta. 
15 performances of the 30-minute show will take place between 1 October and 6 November, at Plaça dels Somnis. The performance times vary depending on the day and can be found on the Park’s website. 

La Nit de les Ànimes tells the story of Mary Shaw, an old ventriloquist from Raven's Fair, who used to amaze audiences at Tibidabo in the past. On one of the nights when she was performing, three children sneaked into Mary Shaw's small dressing room, and snatched her star puppet, Billy, to make fun of him. When Mary discovered the nasty trick the children had played, she decided to get her revenge. Unfortunately, however, the children’s parents decided to take the law into their own hands by burning down the place she lived in, the Krüeger Hotel. Mary Shaw’s now back from among the departed, here in 2022, ready to take her revenge on everyone who dares to catch her eye.

In addition to this horror show, anyone visiting Tibidabo during the Halloween season will also have the chance to taste the sweet treat created for the occasion by the famous Barcelona-based pastry-maker, Christian Escribà. We’re talking about a unique product that visitors can purchase from the Escribà food truck, located on the sixth floor of the Park, and from the Escribà de Gran Via pâtisserie, where there’ll also be a photocall inspired by the Krüeger Hotel. 

Access to the Park during the Halloween season will be as easy as it is during the rest of the year. Users have the Cuca de Llum, Tibidabo's renovated funicular railway, as their main means of reaching the highest point in Barcelona in under 4 minutes, as well as the T2B and T2C shuttle buses. In this way, the Park is stepping up its environmental commitment to the Collserola Natural Park.

Under the slogan “Conserving our future”, the congress will bring together around 200 zookeepers from as many as 25 different countries and representatives from wildlife protection organisations 

The 7th International Congress on Zookeeping will take place between 4 and 7 October in the Ciutadella Campus of the Pompeu Fabra University and Barcelona Zoo

Barcelona Zoo is set to host the seventh edition of the International Congress on Zookeeping (ICZ) organised by the International Congress of Zookeepers and the Iberian Association of Zookeepers (AICAS), which at the same time will be holding its eighth Iberian Congress. Both events will take place between 4 and 7 October. 

Under the slogan “Conserving our future”, around 200 zookeepers from as many as 25 different countries and representatives from wildlife protection organisations will participate in the International Congress on Zookeeping. Over the course of three days, they will discuss techniques for guaranteeing animal welfare and endangered species conservation projects, among other issues. 

The International Congress on Zookeeping will feature talks and workshops and will be held in the Ciutadella Campus of the Pompeu Fabra University and Barcelona Zoo.   

Besides hosting the congress, Barcelona Zoo will actively participate, delivering three talks. The speakers will include zookeeper Elena Pardo, who will talk about Barcelona Zoo’s experience in uniting two Iberian wolves; educator Gemma Morató, who will talk about new teaching methodologies in the field of environmental education; and zookeeper Jordi Gutiérrez Gallego, who will discuss Barcelona Zoo’s role in the integration of differently abled people into the workplace. 

The zoo will also hold various workshops and guided tours for those attending the congress. Attendees will be able to learn about the geriatric care provided to the zoo’s elephants and will have the opportunity to do a guided tour focused on species conservation. 

Animal welfare: one of the priorities of the New Zoo Model

Animal welfare is one of the core pillars of the New Zoo Model, which is based on education, research and biodiversity conservation. Hosting and participating in the 7th International Congress on Zookeeping is another step forward in the Zoo’s mission to become a leading facility for educating and raising awareness about biodiversity, conservation and research.

The testing stage for the first prototype of this vehicle will begin over the next few days and its performance and efficiency will be studied over a period of six months 

The 30 vehicles that the Bicing service has for transporting bicycles between the various Bicing stations are electric and providing them with solar panels would reduce their demand for electricity, while increasing their autonomy 

Bicing has presented its first solar-powered bicycle-redistribution vehicle. This is a prototype that will come into operation, at the testing stage, over the next few days, so its performance and efficiency can be assessed. 

These vehicles, which look just like the current electric models tasked with transporting bicycles between the various Bicing stations, have solar panels incorporated into their tow cover which charge up whenever the vehicle is outside, whether or not it is in motion. It features five photovoltaic modules of 365W each, which are connected to the vehicle battery.    

During the testing period, Bicing and Azimut360 SCCL, the company that developed the project for incorporating solar panels into this vehicle, will be assessing the performance of the panels and the vehicle's autonomy. The first feasibility results are expected to be ready halfway through the coming year. 

A commitment to sustainability and better autonomy 

The Bicing service has 30 bicycle-redistribution vehicles in all, with their corresponding tows. They are electric vehicles, with an average autonomy ranging from 70 km to 90 km, depending on the route they take. Their purpose is to ensure bicycles are distributed as evenly as possible, in every station, throughout the day. To make that possible, each of these vehicles covers an average of between 12 and 14 stations during each of the morning, afternoon and night-time shifts.    

Incorporating solar panels into these auxiliary vehicles would help to make the Bicing service more sustainable, reducing its electricity consumption. An improvement that would come in addition to the benefits provided by the new management programme Bicing works with, a piece of AI software that enables Bicing staff to know the best times for moving bicycles form one station to another, thereby avoiding unnecessary journeys. This new programme works on the basis of variables such as each the availability history of each of the stations, the weather conditions and the routes that these vehicles normally take. 

The “Park Güell and schools” programme offers free visits and guided tours for students of all ages, whether they're from Catalonia or from the rest of the European Union 

The tours will begin in October and registration is now open on the Park Güell website 

The previous school year saw over 30,000 students taking part in these educational tours  

Coinciding with the back-to-school period, Park Güell is resuming its “Park Güell and schools” tour programme. Thanks to this initiative, schools in Catalonia and the rest of the EU that are interested in Gaudí’s work will be able to tour this iconic architectural site. 

Registration for the tours is now open on the official Park Güell website with tours beginning on 3 October. They will continue throughout the school year. All pre-school, primary and secondary schools, Baccalaureate and Vocational Training schools can take part provided they can confirm that their classes are or will be studying Gaudí’s work. 

As every year, two types of tour are offered, with specific time slots, and they always include free access to the park. The first are guided tours, which allow students to discover Park Güell’s most iconic parts in an educational and enjoyable way. The tours are available in five languages (Catalan, Spanish, French, English and Italian) and cost €60 for each group of 30 students. The other type are free visits, where students can explore Park Güell freely without a guide. In either case the groups can have a maximum of 60 students per school and day and must be accompanied by at least one teacher. 

The “Park Güell and schools” programme is part of the series of measures under which the Park has been promoting social, local-resident and educational uses of one of the city’s biggest heritage attractions. The Park is also offering other activities throughout the year, in addition to these tours, aimed at young children and school students such as the Sant Jordi i el drac del Park Güell competition and educational workshops inspired by Gaudí’s work. 

More than 30,000 students enjoyed this programme of educational visits during the last school year

In the last school year, 30,248 students from 1,561 school groups took part in the “Park Güell and schools” programme and the figures are expected to be even higher this year. 

As for the type of visit, most were free visits, taken by 77% of students, with 23% having opted for guided tours. Free visits are the ones most frequently chosen by secondary school students, while the guided tour is the one most used by pre-school and primary school students. 

When it comes to nationality of visitors, most were from Catalonia and the rest of the Spanish State, followed by France and Belgium.